Box structure



Patented Mar. 17, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIE '7 Claims.

This invention has general relation to box structures and is more particularly directed to a corner unit for milk bottle cases, the same being in the nature of an improvement upon my prior United States Letters Patent, No. 1,885,748, granted November 1, 1932.

One of the principal aims of the present invention is to provide in a bottle case or the like improved corner units by virtue of which the vertical walls; whether solid or slatted, may be more readily assembled initially and by means of which the same may be subsequently disassembled and reassembled where a broken wall or slat requires replacement.

More particularly the invention resides in a corner unit for the purpose specified, which includes separable angulated elements respectively arranged inside and outside of the corner of the case with means for releasably tying said elements in assembled relation in order to facilitate the assembly and disassembly of the walls of the case.

As a further feature the invention provides in combination with a corner unit, protective means a for the lower edges of the vertical walls which are releasably retained in place by the corner units.

The invention furthermore contemplates in a corner unit of the indicated character, a case stacking terminal formed as a part of one of the elements which is so fashioned as to render the same stronger for resisting the strains and stresses imparted thereto.

With the above enumerated and other objects in View, reference is now made to the following specification and the accompanying drawing in which there is disclosed a preferred form of the invention, while the claims are intended to cover variations and modifications falling within the scope of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a corner of a milk bottle case constructed in accordance with the invention as viewed from the exterior thereof.

Fig. '2 is a similar view as viewed from the interior thereof. v

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken approximately on a plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a similar view taken approximately on a plane indicated by the line 4-4 in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing by characters of ref erence, A and B designate generally adjacent vertical walls of a bottle case, which as illustrated in the present disclosure, are shown as made up of a plurality of wooden slats, although it is apparent that within the scope of the invention the said walls may each be made of a single panel having the ends slotted such as shown at C in the lowermost slats of the present illustration. The corner units include inner and outer angulated elements In and l l adapted to be respectively positioned inside and outside of the corner or angle formed by the abutting relation of the ends of the adjacent walls A and B. The free terminals of the leaves of the outer element H are formed with inwardly directed beads l2 which are adapted to engage in vertical grooves I3 in the walls A and B to retain said walls against longitudinal movement and to assist in holding the same in assembled relation.

In order to provide means for releasably securing the angulated elements In and II in assembled relation against separation or longitudinal relative shifting, the outer elements H are provided with inwardly directed loops H! which extend between the slats of the walls A and B or through the slot C and through apertured portions [5 provided in the inner elements H1 at the juncture of the angularly disposed leaves thereof, a wire or rod It being provided which is engaged through the loops l4.

As particularly shown in the present disclosure, the intermediate loops l4 are produced by cutting parallel pairs of transverse slits I! in the outer element II and bending the material between said pairs of slits inwardly to provide angulated portions, the bights l8 of which are adapted to protrude through the slots or apertures l5 in the inner elements It]. The uppermost loop is formed by slitting the element ll downwardly from its upper end at l9, bending the slitted portions over each other and providing said portions 20 with overlying inwardly projecting apertured terminals 2|. The lowermost loop is similarly formed by cutting and bending inwardly into overlapping relation a pair of arms 22 which are provided with aligned apertures 23, the arms 22 extending through the aperture or slot Hi. The wire or rod I 6 which is preferably of a resilient nature is formed with an eye or enlargement 24 on its lower end and with a pointed terminal 25 at its upper end.

The upper end of the inner element II is fashioned to provide an upwardly protruding stacking terminal 26, angulated walls 21 of which are offset slightly inwardly to fit within the inside corner of a case which is stacked thereon. The inward offsetting of the walls 21 functions to slightly bend or deflect the upper end of the wire or rod l6 so as to tension the same and frictionally retain it against accidental or unintentional displacement. In the present instance, the walls 21 of the stacking terminal 26, are provided with angulated extensions 28 at their free edges which increases the strength of the same and lends to them a maximum resistance against bending or breaking strains.

In addition to serving the purpose of securing the case walls in assembled relation and reinforcing the corners of the case structure, the corner units, due to their construction, may also be utilized to secure in assembled relation with the lower edges of the vertical walls, strips or runners 29 which are of channel shaped cross section having outer flanges 30, inner flanges 3| and a connecting bight 32. The outer flanges are formed with slots 33, extending inwardly from their opposite ends, which slots register with the slots C in the lower slats and receive therethrough the inwardly bent overlapping arms 22 of the outer element.

It is obvious from the foregoing construction that in assembling the case, the adjacent walls. A and B are positioned within the outer elements i l in abutting relation to each other with the intermediate loops l4 disposed between the slats and with the upper loops overlying the upper edges of the vertical walls and the inturned arms 22 forming the lower loops extending through the slot C. At the same time the beads l2 are engaged by the grooves l3. The inner elements Ill are then placed in juxtaposition with the loops extending through the apertures or slots l5 and the wires or rods l6 are then trained through the loops to tie the parts together. In event it becomes essential to disassemble the case to remove and replace a broken slat, the rod or wire I6 is withdrawn permitting the disassembly of the case, replacement of the broken part and reassembly thereof with the greatest facility.

What is claimed is:

1. In a bottle case including vertical walls having external vertical grooves adjacent the opposite ends thereof and registering horizontal slots opening through the ends thereof, corner units for releasably connecting adjacent vertical walls, each consisting of inner and outer elements respectively comprisinga pair of angularly disposed leaves, the outer elements having inwardly directed beads at the free edges thereof engageable in the exterior vertical grooves of adjacent walls, the inner elements having openings at the juncture of the leaves disposed'inalignment with the registering horizontal slots of said Walls, inwardly directed looped means on said outer elements adapted to extend through said slots and openings and retaining means extending through said looped means.

2. In a bottle case including vertical walls having external vertical grooves adjacent the opposite ends thereof and registering horizontal slots opening through the ends thereof, corner units for releasably connecting adjacent vertical walls, each consisting of inner and outer elements respectively comprising a pair of angularly disposed leaves, the outer elements having inwardly directed beads at the free edges thereof engageable in the exterior vertical grooves of adjacent walls, the inner elements having openings at the juncture of the leaves disposed in alignment with the registering horizontal slots of said walls, inwardly directed looped means on said outer elements adapted to extend through said slots and openings, said inner elements having inwardly offset upper ends protruding above said vertical walls to form stacking irons and resilient rods adapted to extend through said looped means for retaining the elements of said corner units in assembled relation within the case walls, the upper extremities of said rods frictionally engaging the inwardly oifset protruding upper ends of the inner elements to frictionally hold the rods in place.

3. A corner unit for releasably joining adjacent vertical walls of a bottle case structure, including inner and outer elements having angularly disposed leaves, apertured portions at the juncture of the leaves of the inner element, inwardly directed looped means on the outer element at the juncture of the leaves adapted to exend through the openings in the case walls and through the apertured portions of the inner element, and retaining means extending through said looped means.

4. A corner unit for releasably joining adjacent vertical walls of a box structure, including separable angulated elements adapted to be respectively arranged inside and outside of the corner of the box, and means for releasably connecting said elements in assembled relation to detachably secure the walls of the box in assembled relation, comprising apertured portions of one of said elements, looped means on the other of said elements extending through the box walls and the apertured portions of the first mentioned element and retaining means extending through said looped means.

5. In a bottle case including vertical walls and channel reinforcing elements embracing the lower edges of said walls having slotted opposite ends, corner units for releasably connecting adjacent vertical walls including inner and outer elements having angularly disposed leaves, apertured portions at the juncture of the leaves of the inner element, inwardly-directed looped means on the outer element at the juncture of the leaves adapted to extend through the openings in the case walls, through the apertured portions of the inner element and through the slotted ends of the reinforcing elements, and retaining means extending through said looped means for holding the corner units in assembled relation with the walls of the case structure and for retaining said reinforcing elements in place.

6. In a bottle case including vertical walls, a corner unit including an inner element disposed inside of the corner of the case, said element having an upper extremity protruding above the upper edges of the vertical walls to constitute a stacking means, said extremity having angularly related walls and extensions at the free edges of said walls disposed at an angle thereto so as to reinforce and strengthen said stacking means.

7. A corner unit for releasably joining adjacent vertical walls of a box structure, said unit including an outer member having angularly disposed leaves arranged outside of the box corner, inwardly directed looped means on the outer element adapted to extend through openings in the box walls, and retaining ,means extending through said looped means.

JOHN F. MAURER, JR. 

